subject: How To Pick An Online Medical Transcription School [print this page] Choosing a good online medical transcription school is the first step in beginning your career as a medical transcriptionist. Without that quality training you aren't likely to get started at all.
Start by requesting an information packet from the schools you are interested in. I suggest taking a good look at the better online schools rather than local community colleges because they're usually better quality and better known to more employers. This can be a real advantage in the job hunt, although still no guarantee of a job.
Next take a look at what they're offering you. Learning about medical terminology, physiology, pharmaceuticals and formatting are all important, but one of the most vital parts of any quality program is how much real doctor dictation you are required to transcribe in order to graduate from the course. The more practice you get during your training the better prepared you will be when you have to transcribe real dictation at your first job.
Consider the tuition cost and payment plans as well. Don't let this be your sole consideration, even if you're on a tight budget. You want to balance price and quality. Otherwise you're too likely to find you've spent money on training that isn't good enough to get you that first job. Better to spend a little extra than to waste a smaller amount.
Make sure the courses you are considering are all Accepted by AHDI, not just members of AHDI. This means that they have been reviewed and meet at least a minimum quality. Some will still be better than others, but with AHDI Approval you know they aren't just some fly by night program that looks pretty online.
Don't assume other accreditation means anything. It's easy for schools to set up their own accrediting agency or go to one that will accredit any school. AHDI is the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, and they're the largest association of its sort in the United States.
Find out how flexible the program is. Online programs are usually more or less self paced, but some are stricter than others about how quickly you need to finish the course. Some will let you buy an extension if you go beyond their usual training period.
Make sure you can easily interact with your teachers and fellow students. It's very easy for schools to set up discussion boards for their students and teachers, and these boards are great resources not only during your training, but after.
